Rdio launches service in 20 new countries

Rdio has announced their service is now available in 20 new countries, expending their reach beyond rival Spotify. The total country count for Rdio is now 51 after today’s annoucement, and gives them service in important markets they weren’t previously in. New users will also get a six month trial in those new markets, as well as two weeks free on mobile.

The expansion brings them to much of Latin America, a widely acknowledged emerging market. You might remember that Motorola decided to launch their new, mid-range Moto G in Sao Paolo, Brazil, ushering in a bit of exposure for the region. Rdio also exposes their service to new users in Europe and Africa, which is a region that sees a ton of expansion as well as solid user numbers.

This all comes at a time when Rdio has contracted their own corporate expansion, laying off staff and closing a regional office in Canada. They also have a new CEO, as their former stepped down amidst the turmoil. The aim, of course, is to bring new users to the service outside of the highly competitive North American space.

For streaming radio, Rdio is a strong contender. It has a strong feature set, and a competitively priced $9.99 monthly fee. If you’re a big music fan, give Rdio a shot if you’re not already. We think you’ll like what it has to offer, but if you’re on Android 4.4, be careful. Some reviewers note it isn’t working with the ART runtime, so tread lightly if you’re using that.